STMicro Sues InvenSense Over Sensors in Wireless Gadgets

March 12 (Bloomberg) -- STMicroelectronics filed a patent-infringement complaint against InvenSense Inc. in a case that
could keep some Stanley Black & Decker Inc. screwdrivers and
Roku Inc. remote controllers out of the U.S.

STMicroelectronics filed the complaint yesterday with the
U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington against
InvenSense and its two customers. The complaint is over
inventions related to micro-electro mechanical systems, or
“MEMS,” which include motion sensors that let consumers turn,
tilt and tap their gadgets for games, search and other
functions.

The trade complaint ratchets up the battle between the two
companies as they compete in the market for sensors and imaging
used in wireless devices. The wireless equipment market is
projected to grow 19 percent a year to $20 billion by 2016,
Benedetto Vigna, who heads STMicroelectronics’ MEMS unit, said
in an interview last month.

“While we welcome fair competition, ST cannot tolerate
continued infringement of our strong and unique patent
portfolio, which is the result of more than 15 years of
intensive R&D efforts and substantial investment, to bring
competitive and innovative solutions to customers worldwide,”
said Bob Krysiak, president of the U.S. unit of
STMicroelectronics, in a statement yesterday.

The complaint accuses InvenSense of making MEMS devices
that infringe four patents. The MEMS are incorporated in the Max
Gyro Rechargeable Screwdriver made by New Britain, Connecticut-based Stanley Black & Decker, and motion-sensitive remote
controllers for online video-service company Roku, headquartered
in Saratoga, California.

Patent Examination

Geneva-based STMicroelectronics, whose first major sensors
contract was to equip the remote on Nintendo Co.’s Wii gaming
system in 2005, leads the MEMS field today, according to data
published by Lyon, France-based researcher Yole Developpement.

STMicroelectronics had revenue of $1 billion last year from
MEMS, compared with $859 million for Texas Instruments Inc., its
main challenger in the field, Yole said in the report.

InvenSense said it developed the first integrated dual-axis
MEMS gyroscope for consumer electronics and was in the market
before STMicroelectronics. It has accused STMicroelectronics of
using invalid patents in litigation.

An earlier civil lawsuit STMicroelectronics filed against
InvenSense was put on hold last month while the U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office takes a second look at the STMicroelectronics
patents at InvenSense’s request.

The ITC has refused to postpone its investigations in other
cases where the patent office is reviewing patents. The agency
typically completes cases in 15 to 18 months and has the power
to halt imports of products that violate U.S. patents.

David Almoslino, a spokesman for Sunnyvale, California-based InvenSense, said the company had no comment.

The case is In the Matter of Certain Microelectromechanical
Systems (MEMS Devices) and Products Containing Same, Complaint
No. 2942, U.S. International Trade Commission (Washington).